Independent

Some difficulties, with this – any help appreciated – all covered below. (thanks Neildubya for explaining it) Solving time (if I’m right about the doubtful one): 24 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 … Read more >>

A really good puzzle from Dac today with skilful misdirection, great variety and invention, and all clear in the end. Solving time: 27 mins * = anagram < =reversal ACROSS 5 B(AY R)UM … Read more >>

According to the A-Z of Crosswords by Jonathan Crowther, Virgilius (in real-life) studied Maths at Cambridge and is an academic specializing in the “cultural and political aspects of mathematics education” so I suppose … Read more >>

Across 1 O,A,FISH,NESS – “o” is a short form of “of”. Good clue to get us going. 10 (ACTIONS IN A LAB IN)* – CANNIBALISATION has a few meanings, apart from the obvious … Read more >>

Solving time: 20 mins < = reversal  * = anagram ACROSS 5 STR (I P LIGHT) ING 8 SECOND S LIP 9 TR(O)Y 10 TE (A PART) Y   YET< 12 A GREED … Read more >>

I thought this was a fantastic puzzle, maybe my favourite of the year so far. Not easy though – I got the first few across clues and one or two downs fairly quickly … Read more >>

I think Quixote commented on this site some time ago that the aim was to keep the puzzle fairly easy, but that he would put a more difficult one in from time to … Read more >>

A challenging puzzle in parts with some superb charade clues that inventively stitch together the component parts and at the same time have very good surfaces. One word was new to me and … Read more >>

Across 1 IT in A,GATES – I wasted some time thinking that “a software giant” was A,MS (Microsoft) rather than A,(Bill) GATES. 9 ISLA – “I’ll”,A 12/13 ITCHY AND SCRATCHY – I’d like … Read more >>

I always enjoy crosswords from Virgilius and this was no exception. I can’t see a theme which is unusual for Virgilius but maybe I haven’t looked long enough! Across 1 GREATA GARBO – (RAGE … Read more >>

An enjoyable and rather unusual crossword in that I solved it quite fast from definitions and seeing what fit rather than immediately understanding all the clues. Do not understand 4 down though. (Thanks, … Read more >>

Solving time: 20 minutes Another enjoyable puzzle from the Mr Dependable of the crossword world. Plenty of terrific clues to keep the mind taxed with 11 across a particular favourite,  along with 5 … Read more >>

Quite often, when I’m solving a puzzle that I’ll be blogging later on, I fill in answers which I’m reasonably sure are right and then think, “I’ll work out the wordplay when I … Read more >>

Solving time: 22 mins. Pleasing fare, as always. * = anagram ACROSS 7 HE PA(R)IN Friendly wordplay for a word unfamiliar to me (but it’s in the Concise OED). A compound occurring in … Read more >>

A fine puzzle by this talented setter. Solving time:  31 mins * = anagram   < = reversed ACROSS 1 BO W-W(O)W      www = world wide web = net   BO = … Read more >>